Talk:Hellmouth (3.5e Spell)

From the Chat

I'd mentioned the idea of mandatory encounters to cast this spell in chat. Here's how I'd do it, to make things more convenient for you:

When you finish casting this spell, if you do not immediately proceed to cast Permanency, a group of fiends from the target plane crawl through the Hellmouth to claim it. They behave as if called, but are undder no compulsion to obey you; indeed, quite the opposite. You may opt to either pay a toll to them or fight them before claiming the Hellmouth. If you cast Permanency, the fiends arrive once the latter spell finishes, in more force, and demand a higher toll (either the spell cannot otherwise be made permanent, or making it permanent later attracts a second wave).

If you choose to pay a toll, you must make a Diplomacy check (they are (choose one: unfriendly, hostile)) and bring them to indifferent, then pay them (arbitrary number, e.g., 100,000) GP (option: in souls); the cost drops to (smaller large arbitrary number) if they are Friendly and to (even smaller large arbitrary number) if they are Helpful. Regardless, if you pay the toll, they laugh their way back home eventually (such as once the spell expires), although they will use the portal to bring friends through as much as possible.

If you choose to fight them, they will battle with you. Destroying them brings the Hellmouth under your control, but provides you and your party no EXP. If you flee the Hellmouth, they are more likely to summon more fiends than to pursue you. If the Hellmouth is theirs, they use it to bring their friends through and go on a rampage.

The fiends that come through depend on the plane, as follows (target EL 15, 17 for permanent version; a ninth-level spell would increase these ELs by two each):

• Acheron: Four (or 1d8) Hamatula, or one Cornugon (permanent version almost definitely gets the Cornugon, and probably something else)
• Hell: A Gelugon and four (or 1d8) Osyluths (doubled if permanent, or two Gelugons and a Cornugon or something)
• Gehenna: Some yugoloths
• Hades: Other Yugoloths or Demodands or something
• Carceri: Some Demodands or Demons. Maybe something like three (or 1d6) Bebiliths and one Glabrezu
• Abyss: A Nalfeshnee and four (or 2d4) Vrocks (permanent: one Marilith
• Pandemonium: A Death Slaad and eight (or 2d6) Succubi

If things like demodands and yugoloths are unavailable, someone who likes making fiends can make some out of the Tome of Fiends. --IGTN 04:12, May 31, 2010 (UTC)

Ratings

	MisterSinister likes this article and rated it 3 of 4.
	Flavourful, useful, game-world-changing. About the only problem I really have with it is that I believe that 15th level is a bit high for this effect (I would personally stick that as a 6th or 7th level spell), but even at this level, I could see it being useful.

That is exactly my reason for making it an 8th level spell. While I agree that in terms of mechanics and the benefits it affords you the spell may be a little underwhelming for its level, the sheer impact use of this spell can have on the game world knocked it up to 8th for me. For example, a powerful conjurer enthralled to do Demogorgon's bidding could be made to create a hellmouth on the prime, signaling the start of a full-blown demonic invasion. A hellmouth created by an evil party could fuel their power and supply them with powerful servants throughout the latter half of a game. Something with such a plot-changing potential should not be in the hands of a mid-level player character. --Sulacu (talk) 09:38, 12 April 2013 (UTC)

And if you really want it on a mid-level character, you can always use scrolls. --Foxwarrior (talk) 17:43, 12 April 2013 (UTC)